News from around the state of Florida
Featured image for “Florida Ed Board OKs school book rules, rejects trans student protections and applauds ‘anti-woke’ state colleges ”
January 18, 2023

Florida Ed Board OKs school book rules, rejects trans student protections and applauds ‘anti-woke’ state colleges 

The State Board of Education signed off on measures in alignment with the priorities of Governor Ron DeSantis.

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Featured image for “DeSantis seeks grand jury probe into COVID-19 shots”
December 22, 2022

DeSantis seeks grand jury probe into COVID-19 shots

Saying that COVID-19 vaccines have been “pushed on Americans,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday asked the state Supreme Court to impanel a grand jury to investigate “wrongdoing in Florida” related to the shots. DeSantis announced his request for a grand jury during a media event to discuss “COVID-19 mRNA vaccine accountability,” where he was joined by state Surgeon General Joseph

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Featured image for “Senate approves insurance overhaul. Will it help?”
December 22, 2022

Senate approves insurance overhaul. Will it help?

The Florida Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at shoring up the troubled property insurance system by curbing lawsuits, injecting tax dollars into reinsurance coverage and trying to shrink the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. The Republican-dominated Senate voted 27-13 largely along party lines to approve the bill (SB 2-A), which is expected to pass the House on

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Featured image for “Florida’s insurance commissioner steps down a day after an industry overhaul was approved”
December 22, 2022

Florida’s insurance commissioner steps down a day after an industry overhaul was approved

After lawmakers this week passed an overhaul of the state’s property-insurance system, Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier on Thursday submitted his resignation to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Altmaier, who made the resignation effective Dec. 28, has been Florida’s top insurance regulator since 2016. The letter did not detail his future plans. “Under your leadership, we have worked with the Florida Legislature

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Featured image for “Ten big issues addressed during Florida’s insurance overhaul”
December 22, 2022

Ten big issues addressed during Florida’s insurance overhaul

Florida lawmakers this week held a special session and passed a 105-page bill aimed at stabilizing the state’s troubled property-insurance system. The bill (SB 2-A) deals with numerous issues, including lawsuits, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and critical reinsurance coverage. Here are 10 key issues that lawmakers addressed: FIGHTING FEES Property insurers have long blamed lawsuits for driving up

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Featured image for “DeSantis signs bill to stabilize insurance industry”
December 22, 2022

DeSantis signs bill to stabilize insurance industry

Anticipating the need for more legislation about the state’s troubled property insurance system, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed bills intended to stabilize the insurance industry and provide $751.5 million for people and communities recovering from hurricanes. DeSantis signed the bills two days after lawmakers finished a special session that focused heavily on property insurance issues. During an appearance at

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Featured image for “A report documents challenges to establishing more affordable housing in Florida”
December 22, 2022

A report documents challenges to establishing more affordable housing in Florida

Rents and home prices rose dramatically in Florida over the past few years. In an annual trends report published earlier this year, the Florida Housing Coalition documented the progress and challenges to achieving housing affordability in the state. The incoming CEO of the housing coalition, Ashon Nesbitt, said there’s positive and negative indicators to note. Housing instability is on the

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Featured image for “Gov. DeSantis takes aim at the union dues of Florida teachers”
December 22, 2022

Gov. DeSantis takes aim at the union dues of Florida teachers

Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled that he will make a priority of passing a long-debated proposal that would prevent teachers from having union dues deducted from their paychecks. DeSantis supported the proposal Monday during a speech in Orlando, describing it as “paycheck protection legislation.” The Florida Education Association and other teachers unions backed DeSantis’ Democratic challenger, Charlie Crist, in the

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Featured image for “On Florida’s Gulf Coast, developers eye properties ravaged by Hurricane Ian”
December 22, 2022

On Florida’s Gulf Coast, developers eye properties ravaged by Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Hurricane Ian destroyed more than 5,000 homes in Lee County, Fla., and damaged nearly 30,000 more in late September, raising concerns among local residents about housing affordability – and changes to their communities – as developers move in. The expansive sandy beaches in Fort Myers for years have attracted people from colder states, like Beth and

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Featured image for “As anxiety and depression increase, more Floridians turn to medical marijuana”
December 22, 2022

As anxiety and depression increase, more Floridians turn to medical marijuana

Imagine you are walking home from the last day of school before spring break. You plop on your bed, kick off your shoes and take a sigh of relief. No school for a week. At least that is what Tatiana Tipton and the class of 2020 thought. Not only did COVID-19 unleash a virus that affected the entire globe, but

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